Supermarket moving into former Pathmark on Cottman Avenue

Penn Foods Market is expected to move into the former Pathmark at 840 Cottman Ave. by early October.

Penn Foods Market is expected to move into the former Pathmark at 840 Cottman Ave.

City Councilwoman Cherelle Parker organized a meeting last week at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer to discuss the vacant property.

The Cottman Avenue Pathmark supermarket closed in December 2015 following the bankruptcy of its parent company, A&P.

Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate owns the Pathmark building on Cottman Avenue, and managing partner David Bramble attended the meeting.

Parker previously held a community meeting about the empty building, and most residents called for a new supermarket at the site. She noted that the new occupant does not need a zoning change to operate.

The councilwoman said she wants a supermarket that will be aesthetically appealing and provide good customer service.

Bramble noted that the Pathmark on Cottman Avenue had strong sales, and closed only because of A&P’s financial woes.

MCB will lease the store to Tony Taveras, who is the general manager of the 7 Brothers Supermarket at Mascher Street and Duncannon Avenue in Olney.

Taveras, who said he hopes to hire people from the Burholme area, was joined at the meeting by expediter Linda Brown. They explained that Penn Foods will feature some 50,000 products, including freshly prepared foods, a bakery, deli and pharmacy. There will landscaping on the exterior, and security cameras on the inside and outside of the store. The interior has already been painted.

There will be no bank or beer sales.

Taveras and Brown said there will be wiring around the property to prevent customers from bringing shopping carts to their houses.

Penn Foods, an independent store, will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be 75 to 85 non-union employees.